It is amazing how much environmental awareness is becoming an important part in developing new concepts, especially when it comes to vehicles and machinery we use in our daily lives. TOYOTA have come up with an innovative concept: the iROAD, an ultra-compact electric vehicle with only three wheels built using the latest technologies, used mainly for short distance city driving. The iROAD combines the best of both worlds, the convenience of a motorbike yet the efficiency and comfort of a car.

With the iROAD, one will be able to navigate even the narrowest roads, which will lead to less congestion and less need for parking spaces.

Last week, TOYOTA put out the iROAD on the roads of Japan, and the local residents were amazed at the experience. The iROAD will also make an appearance in Grenoble in France at the end of 2014.

Based on the wish of Abdullah, a little boy who had cancer and did not want to spend any more time in hospital, KACCH (Kuwait Association for the care of Children in Hospital ) organized a specialized medical team to help Abdullah’s mother take care of her son at home until. He died six months later but was surrounded by his family and favorite things.

This case is what actually brought forward the concept of Bayt Abdullah Children’s Hospice (BACCH). The project is to allow children with terminal conditions to be looked after at home or in the hospice itself.

Such a lovely concept, nothing beats fresh pizza, and Del Popolo is a mobile pizzeria that brings fire wood pizza to you and I don’t mean in a “home delivery” way, this truck actually features a 5000 ld Stefano Ferrara wood burning oven (capable of producing 72 pizzas) in a modern glass enclosed exhibition kitchen.

Why is this concept special? Well the idea of combining portable pizza, an age old technique, and a funky design is really incredible.

American art dealer Kenny Schachter has commissioned British architect and Pritzker Prize winner Zaha Hadid to create this all black, 7.5 meter vessel, the limited edition Z Boat. Only 12 boats and 4 prototypes will be built and ready for your purchasing in 2013. The boats will be manufactured in France by Shoreteam.

“The asymmetrical design is sculptural in appearance while practically affording more seating accommodations. In a sense, the bespoke boat is as much a work of art as a Cisitalia sports car in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The idea is to think of vessels and vehicles as highly individualistic expressions of art, architecture and design reflecting the edge of what is possible using the most advanced means, including materials, software systems and methods of fabrication.” – Zaha Hadid Architects

Many of Libya’s cities were damaged or destroyed during the February 17th Revolution. While the human cost was heavy by any measure, there is an opportunity for Libya to be rebuilt in pioneering new ways. Design Libya will be sponsoring a major international conference in Tripoli in mid to late 2012, bringing together innovative thinkers, designers, architects and visionaries to collaborate on new ideas for Libya’s new schools, ports, hospitals, public spaces, plazas and more.

Bab al-Azizia, Gaddafi’s former military stronghold, bunker and palace in the heart of Tripoli, was transformed from a 2.3 square-mile symbol of fear and oppression into a place for public gatherings and weekly markets before it was finally demolished in late October. Bab al-Azizia is now the site for an open architecture competition.

Announcing an open competition in 2012 for redesigning Bab al-Azizia. Architects, landscape architects, designers, planners, artists, horticulturalists, students and community members are invited to create visionary, inspired design proposals for the space’s reuse as a public, open space for all. The competition will culminate in a major exhibition in Tripoli, Libya, accompanied by a publication and website. Design Libya hope the rebirth of Bab al-Azizia will come to powerfully symbolize the rebirth of the new Libya, and serve as an inspiration to the Libyan people, and all free people around the world.

The competition is not meant to result in awarding of actual contracts to formally design the new site. This is a preliminary call for open ideas, not sponsored by the Libyan government, to help shape inspire citizen participation and creative investment in the future of the country. Design Libya hope as the government is formed and elections take place to build systems to properly begin reclaiming Bab al-Azizia, raising funds and preparing a formal call for design submissions.

As much as the competition sound interesting, I just hope their new government will really take on such a project and allow Libyans a breath of novelty.